Chunky Top-Down Raglan Pullover

Women’s Seamless Raglan Sweater (Advanced)

A classic crew-neck pullover worked entirely seamlessly from the top down in bulky yarn. Raglan lines grow with paired M1 increases; short-row shaping lifts the back neck for a comfortable fit. Body and sleeves are worked in the round to the desired length and finished with 2×2 rib.

Skill Level: Advanced
Construction: Top-down raglan, seamless, in the round

Sizes

Women’s S (M, L, XL, 2XL)
To fit bust 34–36 (38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52)" / 86.5–91.5 (96.5–101.5, 106.5–112, 117–122, 127–132) cm

Finished Measurements

• Bust circumference: 36½ (40, 44½, 48, 52½)" / 92.5 (101.5, 113, 122, 133.5) cm
• Yoke depth (armhole depth): 9 (9¾, 10¾, 11, 12½)" / 23 (25, 27.5, 28, 32) cm
• Total length (shoulder to hem): 24½ (25½, 26½, 27½, 28½)" / 62 (65, 67.5, 70, 72.5) cm
• Sleeve length (underarm to cuff): 16 (15¾, 15½, 15½, 15)" / 40.5 (40, 39.5, 39.5, 38) cm
• Upper arm circumference: 13¼ (15, 15½, 16, 17¾)" / 33.5 (38, 39.5, 40.5, 45) cm

Sample shown in size M. Choose size with 2–4" (5–10 cm) positive ease at bust. User measurements (bust 40"/102 cm, armhole 9¾"/25 cm, length 25½"/65 cm, sleeve 15¾"/40 cm) correspond to size M.

Yarn

Bulky weight yarn (CYC #5); approximately
750 (850, 950, 1075, 1200) yd / 685 (775, 870, 985, 1100) m

Suggested: 7 (8, 9, 10, 11) skeins of a wool or wool-blend bulky (approx. 110 yd / 100 m per 100 g skein).

Needles

• US 10 / 6 mm circular needle, 16" / 40 cm and 32" / 80 cm (or longer), and DPNs or magic-loop preferred for sleeves
• US 8 / 5 mm circular needle, 16" / 40 cm and 32" / 80 cm, and DPNs for ribbing
  Adjust needle size to obtain gauge.

Notions

• Stitch markers (4 contrasting for raglan + 1 BOR)
• Waste yarn or stitch holders
• Tapestry needle
• Blocking mats and wires (recommended)

Gauge

14 sts and 18 rnds = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch in the round on larger needles, blocked.
Always check your gauge and adjust needle size if needed.

Abbreviations (US)

Notes

• Sweater is worked top-down in one piece. Raglan increases are worked every other round (8 sts increased per increase round).
• Short-row shaping is worked at the back neck before full rounds begin; wraps are picked up and knit together with their stitches on subsequent rounds.
• When separating body and sleeves, underarm stitches are cast on using the backward-loop (or cable) method.
• Sleeve decreases are spaced evenly; exact spacing may be adjusted ±1 rnd for personal fit.
• 2×2 rib requires a multiple of 4 sts; all final counts have been set accordingly.
• Inline counts show running totals after key actions.

Pattern

Neckline Cast-On & Setup

With smaller 16" / 40 cm circular needle and using a stretchy method (long-tail or German twisted), CO 48 (56, 56, 64, 64) sts. Place BOR marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Ribbing setup rnd: *K2, p2; rep from * to end.
Work in 2×2 rib for 1½" / 4 cm.

Change to larger 16" / 40 cm circular needle.

Division rnd (place raglan markers):
K 18 (20, 22, 26, 26) sts (Back), pm,
k 6 (8, 6, 6, 6) sts (Right Sleeve), pm,
k 18 (20, 22, 26, 26) sts (Front), pm,
k 6 (8, 6, 6, 6) sts (Left Sleeve).
BOR is already at start of Back.
(Total: 48 (56, 56, 64, 64) sts ✓)

Short-Row Back Neck Shaping (Advanced)

Short rows raise the back neck. Work flat for this section only; wraps will be resolved when full rounds resume.

Short Row 1 (RS): K to 1 st before first marker (end of Back), w&t.
Short Row 2 (WS): P to BOR marker, sm, p to 1 st before last marker (start of Back on other side), w&t.
Short Row 3 (RS): K to 3 sts before previous wrap, w&t.
Short Row 4 (WS): P to 3 sts before previous wrap, w&t.
Short Row 5 (RS): K to 3 sts before previous wrap, w&t.
Short Row 6 (WS): P to 3 sts before previous wrap, w&t.

Next row (RS): Knit to BOR, picking up each wrap and knitting it together with its st as you encounter it.
Resume working in the round. On the following full round, pick up remaining wraps on the opposite side of the Back and knit them together with their sts.

(All sizes now have back neck raised by 3 short-row pairs.)

Yoke

Work in St st (knit every rnd).

Increase Round:
*K to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L; rep from * 3 more times, k to end.
(8 sts increased — 2 sts each raglan line ✓)

Next Round: Knit.

Rep the last 2 rnds 19 (21, 23, 24, 27) more times
— total of 20 (22, 24, 25, 28) increase rounds.

Stitch count after all increases:

• Back: 58 (64, 70, 76, 82) sts
• Right Sleeve: 46 (52, 54, 56, 62) sts
• Front: 58 (64, 70, 76, 82) sts
• Left Sleeve: 46 (52, 54, 56, 62) sts
• Total: 208 (232, 248, 264, 288) sts
  (CO + 8 × inc rnds: 48+160=208; 56+176=232; 56+192=248; 64+200=264; 64+224=288 ✓)

Yoke measures approximately 9 (9¾, 10¾, 11, 12½)" / 23 (25, 27.5, 28, 32) cm from CO edge (including neckband).
(40 (44, 48, 50, 56) rnds from start of St st ≈ depth at 4.5 rnds/inch ✓)
Try on: raglan lines should reach the desired underarm. Work extra plain rnds if a deeper yoke is preferred (do not add increases).

Separate Body & Sleeves

Separation Round:
K across Back sts, remove marker,
place next 46 (52, 54, 56, 62) Right Sleeve sts on waste yarn/holder, remove marker,
using backward-loop method CO 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) underarm sts,
k across Front sts, remove marker,
place next 46 (52, 54, 56, 62) Left Sleeve sts on waste yarn/holder, remove marker,
CO 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) underarm sts,
pm for new BOR at center of underarm CO just made (or leave BOR at side).

Body stitch count:
Back + Front + 2 underarms = 58+58+6+6 = 128 (64+64+6+6 = 140; 70+70+8+8 = 156; 76+76+8+8 = 168; 82+82+10+10 = 184) sts ✓

Body

Continuing with larger 32" / 80 cm needle, work even in St st until body measures 13½ (13¾, 13¾, 14½, 14)" / 34.5 (35, 35, 37, 35.5) cm from underarm, or 1½" / 4 cm less than total desired length.
(Total length target 24½ (25½, 26½, 27½, 28½)" including yoke ✓)

Hem:
Change to smaller needle.
Next rnd (adjust if needed): Knit, increasing or decreasing 0 (0, 0, 0, 0) sts evenly to maintain multiple of 4 (already multiple of 4 ✓).
Work in 2×2 rib (*k2, p2; rep from * to end) for 1½" / 4 cm.
Bind off loosely in rib (or use a tubular/sewn bind-off for maximum stretch).

Sleeves (make 2 alike)

Return 46 (52, 54, 56, 62) held sleeve sts to larger DPNs or long circular for magic loop.
With RS facing, beginning at center of underarm, pick up and knit 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts along first half of underarm CO,
knit across sleeve sts,
pick up and knit 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts along remaining underarm CO.
Place BOR marker at center underarm.

Sleeve stitch count: 52 (58, 62, 64, 72) sts
(46+6=52; 52+6=58; 54+8=62; 56+8=64; 62+10=72 ✓)

Work 1" / 2.5 cm even in St st.

Decrease Round: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. (2 sts dec)

Rep Decrease Round every **6 (5, 5, 5, 4)**th rnd 8 (10, 11, 11, 14) more times
— total of 9 (11, 12, 12, 15) decrease rounds.

Stitches remaining: 34 (36, 38, 40, 42) sts
(52−18=34; 58−22=36; 62−24=38; 64−24=40; 72−30=42 ✓)

Work even until sleeve measures 14½ (14¼, 14, 14, 13½)" / 37 (36, 35.5, 35.5, 34.5) cm from underarm, or 1½" / 4 cm less than desired length.

Cuff:
Change to smaller DPNs/needle.
Next rnd: Work in 2×2 rib, decreasing 2 (0, 2, 0, 2) sts evenly as needed so total is a multiple of 4
→ 32 (36, 36, 40, 40) sts.
Work in 2×2 rib for 1½" / 4 cm.
Bind off loosely in rib.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Finishing

Weave in all ends, closing any small gaps at underarms with the yarn tails.
Block flat or on a form to finished measurements, pinning raglan lines straight and evening the rib edges.
Steam or wet-block according to yarn care instructions.
Allow to dry completely.

Schematic (key dimensions)

          neck CO
       /------------\
      /   yoke /     \
     /  raglan lines  \
    /__________________\  ← underarm (yoke depth)
    |                  |
    |      body        |  bust circ.
    |                  |
    |__________________|  total length
         hem rib

    Sleeve: underarm → cuff = sleeve length
    Upper arm at underarm pick-up

Tips for Success

• Try on after the yoke and again after several inches of body/sleeves; top-down construction makes length easy to customize.
• If your row gauge differs, recalculate yoke plain rounds so armhole depth hits the chart measurement before separation.
• For a mock-turtleneck, work neck ribbing 3–4" / 7.5–10 cm instead of 1½".
• Keep M1L and M1R consistent so raglan lines remain crisp and mirror-image.

Enjoy your chunky raglan pullover!